WhatsApp is changing how it charges businesses for customer conversations. From October 1, 2026, Meta will start charging businesses for service messages that were previously free. The new pricing will apply to businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform in India and other markets. Under the revised system, businesses will pay for service messages on a per-message basis. The service-message rate will match the existing utility and authentication message rate in each market. Meta has also set September 30 as the deadline for businesses to add a payment method. Businesses using a Solution Provider or direct integration must have payment details on file. Otherwise, Meta says service messages will stop being delivered from October 1, when the new charges begin.

WhatsApp Business messages: What is changing?

Meta already charges businesses for different types of WhatsApp messages. These include marketing, utility and authentication template messages. However, some customer-service messages have been free. Non-template service messages have been free since November 1, 2024. Similarly, utility messages sent during an active 24-hour customer service window have been free since July 1, 2025. That will change from October 1. From then, Meta will charge for service messages. It will also charge for utility messages sent in response to customers. Service messages are non-template replies. They can be sent by human customer service agents or external AI systems. However, these messages can only be sent while the customer’s 24-hour service window is active. Therefore, businesses cannot use service messages to start a new conversation.

How much will WhatsApp Business messages cost in India?

The exact price will depend on the market and message category. Meta said service-message pricing will follow the rates for utility and authentication messages in each country. For businesses in India, Meta Business Agent accounts use Indian rupees for billing. For global Business Agent pricing, Meta converts the applicable US dollar rate into INR. The conversion uses the daily exchange rate at the time the message is delivered. Meta published the new rates on September 1. Therefore, businesses should check the applicable India rate for their account. They should not assume that every WhatsApp Business message will have the same price.

Meta Business Agent has separate pricing

AI-powered conversations on WhatsApp already have a separate paid system. Since August 1, Meta has charged for messages handled by Meta Business Agent. It uses a token-based pricing model. One charge covers both AI processing and message delivery. Meta’s global rate is $2 per 1 million tokens. The company says a typical message can use about 20,000 to 25,000 tokens. That works out to roughly 4-5 cents per message. However, more complex conversations can use more tokens. As a result, they can cost more. These AI charges are separate from the new service-message charges.

What changes from October 1?

After the new system starts, non-template business messages will fall into two categories. The first is the Service category. The second is the Meta Business Agent category. If a human customer service representative sends the reply, it will be treated as a service message. The same will apply if the reply comes from a third-party AI system. Such messages will be charged under the service-message pricing system. However, if Meta Business Agent generates the reply, it will follow the separate token-based pricing model. Meta has also clarified that businesses will not be charged twice for the same message. For example, a customer conversation could include one marketing message, two Meta Business Agent responses, one service response and one utility message. Under the new system, all five messages would generate charges. Previously, only the marketing message would have been charged.

Businesses have until September 30 to add payment details

Businesses using WhatsApp Business through a Solution Provider or direct integration must add a payment method before the deadline. September 30, 2026 is the final date to register payment details. Meta says businesses without a payment method on file will stop receiving service-message deliveries from October 1. Meta has also added more payment options for Meta Business Agent accounts. Credit and debit cards are now supported. Visa and Mastercard became available from September 8. Eligible businesses can also use a Meta credit line. They can then receive monthly invoices.

WhatsApp will keep its free entry-point window

The new charges will not remove every free messaging option. Meta will continue to provide its existing free entry-point window. This applies when a customer starts a conversation after reaching a business through an advertisement that clicks to WhatsApp. Messages delivered during this window will remain free. However, businesses using Meta Business Agent can still face separate AI token charges. This can happen even when message delivery itself falls within the free window. Therefore, the October 1 change will mainly affect businesses that use WhatsApp for customer support. Businesses that regularly send service replies after customers start conversations will need to prepare for the new per-message charges. They should also ensure that a valid payment method is added before the September 30 deadline.